Cleric tasks lawmakers on constitution review

OWERRIâ€”Members of the National Assembly have been urged to ensure a thoroughÂ review ofÂ section 145 of the 1999 constitution,Â to forestall a repeat of the constitutional crisis that almost engulfed Nigeria, following President Umaru Yarâ€™Aduaâ€™s absence for moreÂ than two months.

The Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Egbu, Professor Emmanuel Iheagwam, made the appeal in his sermon during the homily at Epiphany Anglican Church, Umuekwune, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.

â€œSection 145 of the Nigerian constitution did not envisage a situation where the President will refuse to transmit a written declaration of his absence to the National Assembly. It has happened now and I hope that the section should be made to give the President a maximum of seven days to transmit a written declaration to the National Assembly,â€ he said.

He was of the opinion that the constitution should be reviewed with a view to giving the National Assembly the power to act if and when the proposed seven days lapses.

He also commended Anambra people for what he termed â€œthe maturity they exhibited during the last governorship electionâ€, even as he commendedÂ INEC for conducting a free, fair, credible and acceptable election.

â€œOnce an election is conducted in a free, fair, credible and acceptable manner, there would be little or no litigation, as the losers would gladly accept the umpireâ€™s electoral verdict,” he said.